On Sept. 1, 1979, I struck out on my own to become an independent PHVAC mechanical contractor. I’d been an employee for seven years, and I certainly knew I did not know everything. Fact is, I’ll never know everything because of how vast the treasure trove of knowledge was then and still is — knowledge has grown exponentially, and that’s been the best part of this adventure: There’s always something new to learn each and every day.
My former boss was fond of throwing me into the deep end of the latest venture pool! “Here, you’re in charge of all oil burner work.” But we don’t do oil burner work. “We do now – here’s your first service call!” Sink or swim, and I was determined to be the best in the pool. As always, I sought out mentors and found them in Jim Wilson and John Wilson, who managed the local Sid Harvey’s branch. They stocked the parts I needed and had a great deal of knowledge regarding oil heat. I soaked up all I could and attended every training opportunity that was available.